phifer



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E. PHIFER.

- Wheel Cultivator.

No. 79,387. a v PatentedJune 30, 1868.

EDWARD PHIFER, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No, 79,387, dated June .30, 1868; antedated June 16, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN CULTIVATORS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PHIFER, oflrenton, in the county of Mercer, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new andusefullmprovements in Cultivators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my improved cultivator, and

Figure2 a view in elevation of one-side of the same, with the near wheel removed.

Figure 3 is a view showing the mode of connecting the tongue and the support for the drivers seat with the axle, and

- Figure 4 a vertical longitudinal section at the line at w of figs. 1 and '2, through the adjustable wrist-cranks and hollow connections.

The invention herein claimed consists in certain novel devices, hereinafter described, for varying the width cultivated by the machine, for regulating its draught, and for turning and guiding.

In the accompanying drawings, two wheels, A A, are shown, as revolving freely on an axle, B. The wheels can be moved towards or from each other on the axle, and held at any desired distance apart'thereon, by means of sliding collars a, held by set-screws a, by which means the distance between the wheels can be varied to suit the width of the row to be cultivated.

A seat, C, for the driver, is mounted on an inclined arm, 0, secured upon the rear end of the tongue D, and projecting behind the axle. The tongue is secured centrally on the axle by a vertical pivot or king-bolt, d,- which passes through the inclined standard 0, the axle, the tongue. and the loop-clamp d, which latter passes under the axle and is secured to the tongue.

A rock shaft, E, is supported parallel with and in front of the axle, by means of two sectors, F, pivoted on r the axle by eyes, which slide freely on it. The sectors can also move endwise on the shaft E. A plate, e, is secured centrally on this shaft, and has in it a transverse slot curved in an arc, of which the king-bolt 01 forms thc centre. A bolt, d, passingthrough the tongue, and through the slot in this plate, connects the rock-shaft and tongue, and allows the latter to vibrate sidewise on its pivot (Z, so as to vary the angle of the tongue to. the axle. A lever, C, pivoted to play vertically alongside the tongue, has a toe taking into a hole in the 'slotted plate e, to hold the tongue at a right angle to the axis, and to release it when required, so as to allowit to turn on its pivot.

The rock-shaft E has twopendentcrank-arms, G, secured to it, with their elbows nearest the tongue. These crank-arms are solid, and each provided with sleeves, 7t 71 of different lengths, but exceeding in the aggregate the length of the solid arm g,.as shown in fig. 4.

The drag-bars H are provided at their front ends with loopsor eyes, h which slip over the sleeves h It, and move endwisc thereon.

Sleeve-clamps,- I, moving cndwisc on these sleeves, and held by set-screws, i, adjust the distance between each pair of the plows.

- The outer end of each crank-arm is supported by a link, G, which is likewise capable of being adjustable laterally, by the means above described. This mode of construction enables the crank-arms to be shortened so as to bring the plows nearer to the centre of. the machine.

Foot-levers or treadles, J, are secured to each end of the rock-shaft E. Lifting-levers, K, are pivoted on this shaft also, and provided with spring-dctents, k, which take into notches in the sectors F, to hold the leverin any desired position.

A slotted standard, I. on each drag-bar H, is connected by a link-bar, L, to a'slotted cross-bar, M, on the lever K. Each link has aseries of holes in its lower end, through which a pin passes, as well as through the slotted standard Z, to vary he distance between the standard and hand-lever, or, in other words, the length of the link-bar, and, consequently, the depth of plowing.

The uppcrend of each link-bar is capable of sliding in the slot m of the cross-bar, and can be held by a nut and screw at any point desired.

The whifiie-tree N is held underneath the tongue by a clamp, O, slotted longitudinally, in which slot a pin, n, on the whifile-tree traverses. By this' means 1 the whiflle-tree is allowed to play slightly backward and forwards, but is prevented from moving endwise.

A draught-chain, P, is attached to a rail, 1), at each end of the whifiie-tree, on which it may slide. The otherend of each chain is attached to a ring sliding on the sleeve h.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The dctent-levcr 0 holds the tongue at right angles to the axle. In turning, the operator releases this lever, and allows the tongue to move to one side the distance permitted by the slot in plate e, at the same time pressing with his feet upon the treadles J, according to the side to which the machine is to turn. The machine is thus turned or steered more readily than with a stiff tongue. As soon as the required direction is attained, thc drivcr, with his feet, turns the'machine until the tongue is again at a right angle with the axle, and locks it. The manner of attaching the draught-chains also aids the turning, as the slipping of the chain on its rail brings the strain on the side which has the greatest distance to turn. The draught also acts directly on the drag-bars, thus avoiding strain on the crank-arms G.

As the work progresses, the driver, by means of the levers K, detents k, and sectors F, raises or lowers each pair of plowc to suit the requirements of the work, and holds them in any desired position.

It is obvious from the above description that the distance between the wheels, as-wcll as the width of the row cultivated, can be varied at pleasure. This capacity for adjustment is increased by the construction of the crank-arms g and sleeves it h, as by removing the short sleeves h, the arms G G, and, consequently, the plows, can be brought nearer together.

It will also be seen that the shaft E and cranks G form a light but strong skeleton-frame to support the mechanism,and thus enable me to dispense with the cumbro us wooden frames commonly used.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The skeleton-frame E G, constructed as described.

2. The combination, substantially as described, with a tongue pivoted by a king-bolt to the axle of a rockshaft, arranged parallel with the axle, to which it is connected by sectors.

3. The combination, substantially as described, with the tongue pivoted to the main axle by a king-bolt, of a transversely-slotted plate bolted to the skeleton-frame, whereby the tongue can turn laterally without moving the frame.

4. The combination, substantially as described, with a tongue pivoted to the main axle, of the rock-shaft or skeleton-frame, the trcadlcs J, and the drivers seat, for the purpose of steering the machine as setforth.

5. The combination, substantially as described, of the tongue and drivers seat with the detent-lever C and slotted plate e, whereby the driver can release the tongue or hold it rigidly, as required.

6. The crank-arms G, constructed and arranged for joint operation, as described.

7. The combination, with the crank-arms, of the drag-bars and removable sleeves h It, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with the crank-arms and sleeves, of the adjustable coupling-arms G, for the purpose ,set forth.

9. The combination, with the sleeves 7 it, of the looped drag-bars H,-and adjusting-clamps I, for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with the skeleton-frame E G and adjustable drag-bars H, of the adjustable link-bars Land slotted cross-bars M on the lifting-levers, for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination, with the tongue, of the whifiie-trees, connected directly with the, cranks G, as and for the purposes set forth.

12. The combination, with -a tongue pivoted to the axle by a king-bolt, of a skeleton-frame carrying plows adjustable in pairs, with the wheels also adjustable on the axle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWARD PHIFER.

Witnesses:

OHA. H. SEAMAN, .TnoMAs BRADEN. 

